In response, the Savior taught them about the difference between temporal and eternal food. The food they seek after to fill their stomachs is temporal; they needed to seek after that which sustains for eternity, which is the gospel. He taught them that they seek after the gospel--this eternal sustenance--by believing in Christ. If they partake of the bread and water of Christ they will never thirst or hunger again, and they will have everlasting life. Christ explains that Heavenly Father sent Him so that we can believe in Him, partake of the bread of life, and never perish.
Today, I seek the Lord because I need Him in my life. The Atonement is the only thing keeping
me from misery, in frank honesty. I hope I’m not the only that feels that way. It
brings me peace and joy and happiness, and allows me to feel and be clean
so I can feel the Spirit and know that I am worthy and feel of Heavenly
Father’s love. I need
the Lord so that I can keep my covenants and be justified and sanctified
through keeping those covenants. I
need the Lord so that I can be a better person and benefit the people
around me. I seek Him because I
know He is there and has invited me to seek Him. I know it’s what He wants me to
do.
The Savior also spoke about those who seek after another goal that won't sustain and won't last beyond this life: those who seek after riches. Many people
today are obsessed with money and live for "things" rather than living according to Heavenly Father's will. I think in our church, this can often start out innocuous enough; we seek money because we want to be on top of things enough to be more of a benefit to church, or to provide for big, happy families. Over time though, nicer and nicer things seem necessary, until members' lives are controlled by material things and wanting more and more of them.
After the Savior gave the bread of life sermon, many of the people turned away and left Him because they didn’t
believe. He then asked his disciples, "Will ye also go away?" (John 6:67). The disciples responded to Him that they wouldn't leave--that they had no where else to go, because He holds the keys to salvation. They were able to respond this way because they knew that He is Christ and has the gospel.
Nephi gives us another good example of this kind of faith in the end
of first Nephi chapter three and the beginning of chapter four, when he and his brothers are trying to obtain the plates from King Laban. His brothers asked him, “How is it possible that the Lord will deliver Laban
into our hands? Behold, he is a mighty man, and he can command fifty,
yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?” Nephi responded, “let us be faithful in
keeping the commandments of the Lord.” He knew the Lord is stronger than any
earthly thing, and thus stronger than Laban and all his forces. His wording was incredibly powerful: “Therefore
let us go up; let us be strong like unto Moses . . . behold ye
know that this is true; and ye also know that an angel hath
spoken unto you; wherefore can ye doubt?” Nephi doesn’t even bat an
eyelash. He knows what he knows,
and there doubt and murmuring will never cause him to doubt.
John chapter six has taught me a lot about what it means to follow Christ even when it's not convenient. So often we have to give up things that seem so crucial to us, but that are ultimately ephemeral. Sometimes they really are important: we all have to eat. But we still seek the Savior over these things. It reminds me of Matthew 6:28. "And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin . . ." I like this scripture so much that I call this the "consider the lilies" principle: Chill out. The Lord will provide for you. This reminder helps me get back on center, and helps me not forget what's really important. Even when it's hard or when other things are competing for your time and attention, those things won't last. Only the gospel will last, so I choose to follow the Savior and His gospel.
-Katie
-Katie
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